The present invention relates broadly to vehicle wheel clamping devices, being more particularly directed, however, to the locking-clamping of boat or other trailer tire-carrying wheels and other vehicular wheels for such purposes as preventing stealth or moving of the same.
The art is replete with devices for clamping or otherwise locking vehicle wheels, ranging from simplistic chains and spoke-receiving extension locks, to the massive "boot" or clamp structures applied by the police to automobile front wheels for parking or other violations.
There are occasions, however, as in the case of boat trailers and similar vehicular systems where these prior techniques are not well-suited to the owner's facile and ready application of a wheel-locking apparatus and simple removal of the same. The most customary boat trailer locks have been directed to chain or other locking of the latch that hooks to the ball socket in the back of a bumper of a towing vehicle, but this technique can be rather readily defeated. The massive and expensive police clamps are also not suited for the boat-trailer owner. The present invention, accordingly, is directed to providing a locking clamp for a trailer wheel or the like that is far from massive but yet totally effective, and is readily applied and removed by the owner without special devices or man-handling adjustments and that is secure from lock cutting equipment and from attempts to remove the locked wheel, and in addition permits a wide range of adjustment for different-sized wheels and tires.